These online workshops may require a different way of learning and communicating than many of us have previously experienced. In order to make this a fruitful experience, we recommend that you read the article "Tips for Online Success."
The Online Workshops will feature a required discussion component. The online discussion will be an important way to build the Science Learning Community. A lively and interactive discussion will benefit us all -- we look forward to reading your postings!
What are "posts"? Posting is your online comments posted to the Wiki page. Each post is a comment in a greater discussion we are conducting online.
How often do I post?
The Discussion tab
As often as directed by the workshop instructions. Often there will be a first post that is your initial response to the assignment and a second post that is your response to someone else's response. Doing both is vitally important to building the community!Remember to re-read your post -- someone else may have responded.
Where do I post? For each Workshop, there is a Workshop Page (see the Navigation column on the left-hand side of the page for a quick link). On that edit bar of the Workshop Page, you will find the "Discussion" tab. Click on that tab to post to the discussion.
How do I start a new post?
newpost_screen_small.jpg
After clicking on the "Discussion" tab,
click on the box in the upper left labelled "+ New Post".
This will give you a New Post Box.
Write your message in the Message box.
Give your post a title in the Subject box.
Click the "Post" box.
Your post will appear on the listing of messages on the page. That's it; you've posted!
Why are the Subject lines important?
The subject line is your post's title. It tells other people what your message is about. The more catchy and descriptive it is, the better.
For example, "Re: Workshop 5" doesn't tell the reader much but "Cellphones in the Classroom -- A Must!" does.
What should I include in my post?
Respond to the prompt for the week. If you have more than one idea, create a new post for each idea. This gives the reader a clear focus to which to respond. Remember to give a subject line to your post.
Is this is a "threaded discussion"?
Yes, and no. By using the subject lines and responses we can track the comments that are on the same topic. Wikispaces, however, doesn't yet have a threaded discussion format where we can show a hiearachy of responses from one post (a thread).
Click here for a Canadian school's explanation of threaded discussion.
Are there ways that make it easier for others to understand what I mean?
Yes. It is important to realize that communication in text is different from in-person chat. Without non-verbal cues and inflection, there can be gap between how something is meant and how its received.
Try some of the following:
--reference the other person's comment (if you are responding to a post) with using their post title or their name in your subject line
--reference a comment in the body of your post, especially by inserting the relevant quote (with quotation marks, of course ;)
--wait a bit and reread your post -- does it say what you mean? (sometimes, drafting in Word and then posting helps those of us who need longer to reflect)
--use emoticons to clarify your meaning. For a list of commonly-used emoticons click here.
--make your comment focused and limited to a few paragraphs. Keep the paragraphs short. It's hard to read long comments on-screen.
--make new posts for different topics.
Ooops! I didn't mean to post that! What do I do?
Unfortunately, Wikispaces doesn't provide a way for individual member/users to delete their own posts. What you've posted, like everything on the Web, is there for others to see. Be careful with your power to post.
Really, I can't delete my own post??
Really, nope. And we're sorry about that. You can ask the organizers to delete it for you. Realize that this will take time...
What is someone else posts something problematic?
Depends on what it is. Is this something within the bounds of scientific debate? If so, respond to the person who left the post with your own comment. If it is something really emotional or private or hurtful, direct communication in person is best. Call or visit that person face to face. If a post is truly worrisome, let the organizers know as well.
Comments that are mostly social or off-topic for that Workshop's topic can be posted to a "Water Cooler" or a social topics discussion page.
There are general rules of interaction on the Internet ("Netiquette") with which most adults working in schools know as part of their training. For an example of Netiquette page click here. Click here for an example of social media netiquette.
Can I include pictures and links into my post?
Yes, you can do this with "Wikitext. " This is a way to insert commands (code) directly into your document. More information about Wikitext appears when you click on the "Need help formatting text?" in blue on the posting box or click this link here to get the page to show you how. You would need to upload the files for the pictures or other documents.
How do I upload files?
If you upload files, please make sure to give them an easily-identifiable name that connects that document to you and to the course you are taking. Use this file name format: yourcoursename_your firstinitial lastname_name of document.type of file [i.e., earthscience1_crandall_babyelephantsurfing.jpg ] No spaces, no uppercase, and use of underscore or hyphen to link the terms will make uploading and searching much easier -- thank you!
The Online Workshops will feature a required discussion component. The online discussion will be an important way to build the Science Learning Community. A lively and interactive discussion will benefit us all -- we look forward to reading your postings!
What are "posts"?
Posting is your online comments posted to the Wiki page. Each post is a comment in a greater discussion we are conducting online.
How often do I post?
Often there will be a first post that is your initial response to the assignment and a second post that is your response to someone else's response. Doing both is vitally important to building the community!Remember to re-read your post -- someone else may have responded.
Where do I post?
For each Workshop, there is a Workshop Page (see the Navigation column on the left-hand side of the page for a quick link). On that edit bar of the Workshop Page, you will find the "Discussion" tab. Click on that tab to post to the discussion.
How do I start a new post?
- click on the box in the upper left labelled "+ New Post".
- This will give you a New Post Box.
- Write your message in the Message box.
- Give your post a title in the Subject box.
- Click the "Post" box.
Your post will appear on the listing of messages on the page. That's it; you've posted!Why are the Subject lines important?
The subject line is your post's title. It tells other people what your message is about. The more catchy and descriptive it is, the better.
For example, "Re: Workshop 5" doesn't tell the reader much but "Cellphones in the Classroom -- A Must!" does.
What should I include in my post?
Respond to the prompt for the week. If you have more than one idea, create a new post for each idea. This gives the reader a clear focus to which to respond. Remember to give a subject line to your post.
Is this is a "threaded discussion"?
Yes, and no. By using the subject lines and responses we can track the comments that are on the same topic. Wikispaces, however, doesn't yet have a threaded discussion format where we can show a hiearachy of responses from one post (a thread).
Click here for a Canadian school's explanation of threaded discussion.
Are there ways that make it easier for others to understand what I mean?
Yes. It is important to realize that communication in text is different from in-person chat. Without non-verbal cues and inflection, there can be gap between how something is meant and how its received.
Try some of the following:
--reference the other person's comment (if you are responding to a post) with using their post title or their name in your subject line
--reference a comment in the body of your post, especially by inserting the relevant quote (with quotation marks, of course ;)
--wait a bit and reread your post -- does it say what you mean? (sometimes, drafting in Word and then posting helps those of us who need longer to reflect)
--use emoticons to clarify your meaning. For a list of commonly-used emoticons click here.
--make your comment focused and limited to a few paragraphs. Keep the paragraphs short. It's hard to read long comments on-screen.
--make new posts for different topics.
Ooops! I didn't mean to post that! What do I do?
Unfortunately, Wikispaces doesn't provide a way for individual member/users to delete their own posts. What you've posted, like everything on the Web, is there for others to see. Be careful with your power to post.
Really, I can't delete my own post??
Really, nope. And we're sorry about that. You can ask the organizers to delete it for you. Realize that this will take time...
What is someone else posts something problematic?
Depends on what it is. Is this something within the bounds of scientific debate? If so, respond to the person who left the post with your own comment. If it is something really emotional or private or hurtful, direct communication in person is best. Call or visit that person face to face. If a post is truly worrisome, let the organizers know as well.
Comments that are mostly social or off-topic for that Workshop's topic can be posted to a "Water Cooler" or a social topics discussion page.
There are general rules of interaction on the Internet ("Netiquette") with which most adults working in schools know as part of their training. For an example of Netiquette page click here. Click here for an example of social media netiquette.
Can I include pictures and links into my post?
Yes, you can do this with "Wikitext. " This is a way to insert commands (code) directly into your document. More information about Wikitext appears when you click on the "Need help formatting text?" in blue on the posting box or click this link here to get the page to show you how. You would need to upload the files for the pictures or other documents.
How do I upload files?
If you upload files, please make sure to give them an easily-identifiable name that connects that document to you and to the course you are taking. Use this file name format: yourcoursename_your firstinitial lastname_name of document.type of file [i.e., earthscience1_crandall_babyelephantsurfing.jpg ] No spaces, no uppercase, and use of underscore or hyphen to link the terms will make uploading and searching much easier -- thank you!